Well I arrived at the venue just after 8pm, met up with some friends, had a few beers and then just before 9pm we headed upstairs into the main room. Dom and Steve were playing a great selection as always, including plenty of Studio 1(Lone Ranger's "Noah In The Ark" and Dave Barker's "Johnny Dollar" being two of my faves). Country Culture and Raggamonica came on and did their thing first, which went down well with the crowd(I'm sure Raggamonica has been possessed by the spirit of Horace Swaby!)

Dennis came on shortly before 11pm and delivered a great set(despite a couple of times where the backing tracks skipped), going through his classics such as Cassius Clay, Teach The Children, Mava(with Raggamonica doing his top Pablo impression again), Fever Teaser, Mosquito One, DJs Choice, Love I Can Feel Version, Alpha And Omega and many more that I've forgotten due to alcoholic consumption.(Maybe if I hadn't got so pissed I'd have kept a better eye on my jacket eh?)

After the show, my mate Mick(with his missus and daughter) and myself were invited backstage by Dennis after I'd asked him to sign my copy of the "Forever Version" LP. We had a right good natter with Dennis, Steve and Country Culture for around an hour before we all got kicked out as management had to shut the place

Dennis cleared up something for me that I'd always wondered, that's a cigar he's lighting up on the back cover of the Forever Version LP and not a spliff

All in all, a great night despite having my jacket nabbed. Dennis is one of THE great entertainers of reggae music and always puts on a top show(he even managed to treat the technical hitches with good humour, saying that ganja smoke must have got inside the machine (I know that there are other artists out there who would have thrown a tantrum)

As for the patties, I had a saltfish one and a curried lamb one, they were delicious(Island Delight patties for those who know the brand). But now I've ran out of them

I met Dennis a couple of years ago at the Essential festival in bristol along with Dave Barker, both were sound chaps and I have a photo of me with the both of them just before they got on stage together, both were superb. As you say his voice hasn't changed at all.
C.D.

Last edited by crazydownbeat on Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:44 am, edited 1 time in total.